Stream on Peacock
Based on 1 season, 10 episodes · through July 18, 2024
Those About to Die is a historical drama TV show set in ancient Rome. It focuses on the dangerous world of chariot races, gladiatorial fights, and the corrupt leaders who control them. The show features a very diverse group of characters, including an African mother working to free her enslaved children. It also includes several prominent gay and lesbian characters, such as the future Emperor Domitian and his male partner, and a female gladiator who has a secret relationship with another woman.
Why 83%? See the score breakdownBreakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Those About to Die.
Woke representation / casting
Casting heavily favors modern diversity priorities over historical accuracy, using Black actors for North African Numidian roles. It also portrays female characters with unrealistic physical and strategic competence.
72%
Woke political dialogue
While the dialogue avoids modern buzzwords, the script frequently inserts contemporary ideas about systemic oppression, class struggle, and colonial guilt. The dialogue treats the various queer relationships with a highly modern sense of casual acceptance that does not reflect historical Roman attitudes.
5%
Identity-driven story themes
The narrative heavily focuses on modern-style identity struggles, emphasizing the systemic oppression of enslaved Africans and Judeans by the Roman Empire. Major plotlines revolve around explicit queer identities, including Domitian's gay scheming and Aura's lesbian romance.
55%
Western institutional / cultural critique
The series critiques ruling-class corruption and imperialism in a way that mirrors modern activist complaints about Western capitalism and power structures. It also subverts traditional family structures by depicting the Roman men as toxic and emotionally broken, while the minority female leads possess superior moral clarity.
42%
Woke character or canon changes
The series alters the real history of the Flavian dynasty to emphasize modern identity themes. It reframes the historical figure Domitian to focus heavily on his explicit gay relationship. Additionally, it changes the ethnic makeup of the ancient Numidians by casting sub-Saharan Black actors instead of Mediterranean-looking actors.
55%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Right-leaning viewers and history buffs complained on Reddit and YouTube about forced diversity. They criticized the show for race-swapping North Africans, adding unrealistic female gladiators, and shoehorning modern-style queer subplots into a historical epic.
40%
Creator track record context
Key casting directors and producers on the crew have a strong, public commitment to diversity and identity-focused storytelling. Directors Roland Emmerich and Marco Kreuzpaintner also have a history of incorporating liberal social themes and LGBT representation in their previous work.
35%
Production
